


Kiyoko and the Quest to Find a New Manager

by esoteric-champagne (Fwizz101)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Gen, Kiyoko is So Done, Kiyoko-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2020-05-27 18:31:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19386646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fwizz101/pseuds/esoteric-champagne
Summary: In which Shimizu Kiyoko finally decides that she needs help to manage the Karasuno magic guild. (Read: in which Kiyoko gets sick of everyone's antics and needs someone to share the pain with.)Also, in which Yachi Hitoka learns that managing a bunch of teenage mages is not all fun and games.





	1. Day 1: The Unicorn

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter of a fic I'm not sure I'll finish. Each chapter will be rather short, and I don't think Kiyoko is 100% in-character, but here I go anyway! Please tell me if you enjoy this snippet (and the snippets that may-or-may-not follow)!

Kiyoko's day has decidedly not been going well. Starting the morning with a cup of black coffee and salt (the sugar having been switched off by a certain housemate) might have done it. Nishinoya, as wonderful and helpful as he can be, breaking a chair for the third time that week might have done it. But this? This is the end of her profoundly deep patience.

Needless to say, the unicorn giving chase behind her does not heed her frustration. It's content to barrel through the woods, uncaring that she _is a virgin, thank you very much, and she will certainly have words with Daichi this afternoon if she makes it out alive._ Was she supposed to know that unicorns become far more aggressive during their mating season? They barely appear in front of humans! Her area of expertise is gentle woodland creatures, not semi-mythical beings-- bunnies, deer, and woodpeckers won't run after her with the intent to kill.

She sighs and runs her hand down her cheek. There's no time to mourn the loss of an extra hour of sleep today. It's not Daichi's fault that today is the worst, and Nishinoya doesn't mean to destroy furniture when he practices indoors (even though Ukai-san has certainly told him not to on multiple occasions). The only thing she can do is carry on.

That being decided, she veers off to the left and whirls around. She throws her hands forwards. “Guardian of the world, hear my plea-- Okami-sama!”

Most people prefer to call on Suijin-sama, but Kiyoko doesn't want to be flashy. Besides, using this incantation is enough of a sight.

A glyph appears in the air in front of her. The unicorn rears its head. Before it can charge, a hoarfrost-colored dragon arises-- the form of the goddess in smoke-- and circles around the beast.

“Freeze!”

She takes a moment to admire Okami-sama's handiwork and catch her breath. Ice wraps around the unicorn's body, twisting up to form a birdcage around it. Its mane and tail are left untouched.

“Forgive me for presuming,” she murmurs to its face. She gives it a short bow. “Excuse me.”

Nothing revolutionary happens when she plucks a few hairs from the unicorn's tail. It whinnies in irritation, but its struggling has long since ceased. Like Kiyoko, it resigns itself to its fate.

Once she has put away her prize, she releases the unicorn and jogs away. Going through this much effort is troublesome, but no one else in the guild can complete tasks like this. It can get frustrating at times; there have been days when she wished she hadn't agreed to join Karasuno. But watching Tanaka streak across the living room to look at a dog Hinata spotted, or seeing Daichi and Sugawara laughing at nothing after a long day… well, that makes the effort worthwhile.

A bucket of water pitches off the door when she opens it. It falls to the floor once its contents are emptied over Kiyoko's head.

Actually, she needs to find another manager for the guild before she goes insane.


	2. Day 2: Fun and Games

“That’s mine!” Kageyama hollers at an ungodly volume at… what is it? Kiyoko pokes her head out of the window to check. Oh, about six in the morning. “Give it back, _boke!_ ”

A trickle of water drips out of the gutter-- that Asahi was supposed to fix, until he got distracted by Nishinoya yet again-- and down Kiyoko’s cheek. It replaces her dried-up tears of yore. There’s nothing like a quick dose of last week’s rainwater to wake herself up after a night of making fliers. She’ll have to replace the bottles of ink she used up. Kinoshita needs a new button for his shirt, the hood of Tsukishima’s cloak has a hole in it… well, she’s going to the marketplace today anyway.

Hinata runs into the kitchen, snatches a banana from the bowl of fruit Takeda-san has taken upon himself to replenish, and dives under the table. He curls up in front of Kiyoko’s feet to eat. She nudges him out of her personal bubble.

His pursuer, a Kageyama with too much energy (and no shirt), stomps in two minutes later. If she was any more awake, Kiyoko might have covered her face in embarrassment. Instead, she peers at him over her lukewarm coffee. It’s not like she hasn’t seen the boys change a thousand times already. She’s beyond desensitized to it.

“Have you seen Hinata? He has my jacket,” he huffs.

Everyone in the guild has the same “Karasuno” jacket, but in different sizes. Kiyoko would know-- she made the order for them. In the back of her mind, she recalls seeing Hinata’s oversized sleeves.

On most days, Kiyoko is a generous person, but the bucket incident from yesterday has drained her stock of mercy for the week. “He’s under the table.”

Hearing Hinata’s shriek almost makes her regret revealing his hiding place… almost.

* * *

The advertisement is straightforward: “Karasuno manager wanted.” It also contains a list of prerequisites and expectations. For example, the work hours are left open-ended. Kiyoko can admit that the offer is hardly attractive, but there will be desperate applicants. The guild is a recovering powerhouse, after all, and some people yearn for that sort of life. Others may be charmed by her personal statement at the bottom-- the ones who see the copies with it scribbled on, that is. (She grew tired of writing it after the twentieth flier.) According to Takeda-san and Daichi, it captures the essence of the guild. She hopes so.

“Oh, have Tobio-chan and Chibi-chan finally pushed you to the point of wanting help?” chimes an unhelpful voice beside her.

Oikawa Tooru is the talk of the town at least three out of seven days of the week. Of course he is; he’s charming, handsome, and talented. To Kiyoko, he’s also a relieving pain to talk to. When she can’t seem to figure out a certain riddle, or when Nishinoya needs more hair gel of a brand she doesn’t recognize, he’s there. In return, she listens patiently to the woes of his tumultuous love life. It’s amazing how many people he can go through in a month.

She shakes her head. “It’s not them. I think an extra pair of hands would be helpful to have around.”

Oikawa points at the space between the last expectation and the personal statement. “Then you should add something else-- ‘must have a calm disposition.’ Otherwise, you’re just going to end up with another person to babysit.”

“You sound awfully critical for someone who needs to be put on a leash, Oikawa-san.”

“Gaah! What _happened_ yesterday?”

“Many things.” She strolls to the next message board. “It was nothing out of the ordinary.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh, so that's how you make a divider. Nice.


	3. Day 3-9: The Visitor

The next day, Yamaguchi loses his gloves and spends three hours looking for them before Kiyoko procures them from behind a spellbook. No one comes to the Karasuno guild’s door to inquire about the manager position. She supposes that they have a reputation of being a rowdy bunch.

The day after that, Daichi and Sugawara ruin a pot by leaving rice on the stove for too long. Kiyoko doesn’t ask what distracted them; she’s learned that it’s better not to probe too far. No inquiries arrive, but Oikawa stops by to send his condolences. Iwaizumi appears a moment later to drag him back to Seijoh so he can _actually do his chores for once, Trashykawa._

One week later, after Kozume Kenma visits and succeeds where Kiyoko has failed (in keeping Hinata in line for a morning), a shaky knock raps on the door. Kiyoko is organizing the spice cabinet, so Asahi answers.

“Shimizu, it’s for you,” he calls, probably keeping his voice down so he doesn’t spook the visitor.

“Thank you. Tell them to come sit in the kitchen.”

Once she’s sure that everything is labelled and in the right place, Kiyoko turns. She’s glad that she’s smiling; the girl looks considerably spooked. Sugawara is opening the door from now on. Apparently, he’s the only one who can be trusted not to scare people-- and that’s only for first impressions. When the others get out of hand, he acts as Kiyoko’s anger translator.

“Hello,” Kiyoko greets regardless, “my name is Shimizu Kiyoko. It’s nice to meet you.”

“H-hi!” the girl squeaks. She clasps her hands in her lap to stop herself from fidgeting. “I’m Yachi Hitoka. I’m here to ask about the manager position.”

“Oh, okay. Have you been a guild manager before?” (Yachi shakes her head.) “It’s a considerable amount of work, and you may have to stay up at strange hours. Are you willing to dedicate pretty much all of your time to the guild?”

The temptation to give the trite “correct” answer flickers across Yachi’s face. Kiyoko waits for her to choose. She has all day, or at least until Ennoshita and Tanaka come back from their quest and resume tearing up the place.

“I’ll do my best,” Yachi resolves.

“I see! Thank you. You can do a test run for a week to see how you like it. Are you free to start right away?”

Perhaps Kiyoko sounds a bit too enthusiastic, because Yachi looks completely and entirely cowed. (Well, she’s looked like that since she came in.) Her mouth opens. It closes.

Then, she nods furiously. “Of course!”

“Good. You can call me Kiyoko, by the way.”

“A-and you can call me Hitoka!”

 _Crash!_ (That must be the vase Asahi received as a contracting reward last month.)

Nishinoya shouts, his voice dripping with genuine remorse, “Sorry, Kiyoko-san!”

She resists the urge to slam her head against the table. Things can only improve now that she has help, right? “Okay, Hitoka-chan, are you ready for your first job?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoorah! Kiyoko finally has someone to suffer with.
> 
> // 7 August edit:  
> > Nishinoya now addresses Kiyoko with "-san," as consistent with canon and considering his rank in this AU. "-chan" was too informal.


	4. Day 16: Morning

It takes the entire week for the first screams to come from Hitoka's bedroom. By then, Kiyoko has made up for a fortnight of lost sleep, so she rolls out of bed to respond. She takes great pleasure in the lack of an ache in her bones (and the very depths of her soul). Life is so much better with an attentive assistant.

“Are you okay, Hitoka-chan?” she queries from outside Hitoka's door. This is the last day of the test run, so it's too early for the world to end-- okay, Kiyoko is thinking selfishly, but she likes feeling more lively.

“It's fine! I'm fine. Yeah. I think I can handle it. Did I wake you up?”

“I was just getting out of bed.” (White lies go a long way in this house.) “Can I come in?”

“U-um, give me a second.”

Ten seconds pass, and the door opens. Hitoka’s hands are trembling as she grips together the edges of her blanket to keep herself covered. A clump of her hair sticks out, giving her head a crooked duck tail. The alarm clock on her dresser clicks-- it’s seven, so breakfast will have to wait until Daichi comes back from his jog in half an hour. (He wakes up early to avoid morning mishaps. It’s in Kiyoko’s best interest to follow suit, but she doesn’t have his resolve.)

“Spider?”

Hitoka jerks her head up and down. She fumbles to free her hand. “The last time I saw it, it was--” With a strangled noise, the color drains from her face.

All of Kiyoko’s screams are bottled up in her pillow, having been disposed of on her second night in Karasuno. When she spots the plate-sized monstrosity reclining on the curtains, she spins around and raps on the next door. Tsukishima is always awake before breakfast; he just doesn’t like getting involved in anything before having coffee.

Well, it’s his turn to suffer. “Tsukishima-kun, do you have a moment?” (Kiyoko’s tone sharpens to pry the moment out of his cold, uncaring hands. It’s the only way to deal with him at this time.)

A minute of muffled grumbling later, Kiyoko has grown a blanket-clad appendage and Tsukishima drags himself into the hallway. He bothers not with the conscious mortal’s endeavor of feigning interest, squinting even with his glasses on. She forgives him.

“I’ll use my own slipper,” he manages to sigh as he shuffles in.

Hitoka squeaks encouragingly, but her hold around Kiyoko’s upper arm doesn’t loosen. Her grip strength is less than Hinata’s, though, so it’s not a problem. Kiyoko doesn’t bruise easily.

For lack of a better phrase to procure from the shambles that is Kiyoko’s seven-in-the-morning mind, Tsukishima slaps the spider until it yields to his wrath with a crunch. He makes a face so appalled that she feels it from behind. What does he expect to come out of a large spider? Not everything is whipped cream and strawberries like Yamaguchi. Besides, it’s Hitoka-- more likely Kiyoko herself, on second thought-- who will be scrubbing the curtain after they eat.

“Thank you thank you thank you!” Hitoka babbles, adding a bow for good measure.

Tsukishima leaves his slipper on the floor and sloughs back into his room. “Wake me up when Sawamura-san comes back. I want waffles.”

“Will do!” (Kiyoko takes that as an indication that her source of stress relief is here to stay.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hitoka starts bawling when Daichi comes back and won't stop until he makes waffles for Tsukki. I don't make the rules.


	5. Day 34-48: Chores

Kiyoko and Hitoka come back from their shrine visit to find that the front door is missing. Someone-- judging by the evenness, Sugawara-- has hung a sheet in the doorway as if to bandage a cavity. Kiyoko should have added “sanity” to her list of requests from Tenjin-sama. Her patience has been recharged, though, so she strolls in.

“It was solid oak,” she remarks to Takeda-san, as if he needs reminding.

“What happened?” chimes Hitoka.

Takeda-san glances up from his papers. “Do you think we have the budget to fix it?”

“Fix? Huh? What--”

“Did Nishinoya or Hinata start it?”

He puts his hands together. Presumably, he’s wishing that he’d gone with them to make a wish. “Yes.” Poor Takeda-san never gets a break. “Actually, do we have the budget to replace it?”

That settles it. She may have spared them in the past, but Kiyoko is not working overtime for this mistake. “Come, Hitoka-chan. Please be the responsible one and hold the broom, or so help me.”

The story comes in pieces, like the door that Nishinoya and Hinata are paying for. See, Kageyama said that oak needs to be polished to look nice, and it’s impossible to polish stuff while it’s upright-- according to Nishinoya-- and Tsukishima was out at the worst possible time, but then Hinata found a wood-polishing spell in Narita’s book… and Hitoka hides the broom behind her, where Kiyoko can’t grab it. As amazing as Hinata and Kageyama are when they work together, they really share their collective two brain cells-- which both belong to Kageyama.

Sugawara appears at the perfect moment to restrain Kiyoko with a hand on her shoulder. “Cheer up, you two! You like going out, don’t you?” His grin becomes increasingly threatening. “Because you will be.”

Nothing of note happens for the next two weeks, at least by Karasuno’s standards. The trinkets that Kinoshita always dusts around and not under stay intact. Ukai-san breaks the salt shaker, but he sweeps it up himself. Hinata takes Kageyama’s jacket, but with permission; Kiyoko waits for an announcement from them. Asahi enlists Hitoka’s help to finally get the gutters functioning properly, giving her a much-needed task to focus on.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi deliver their beautiful, brand-new door to their… er, mosquito-screen-step. They must be bored out of their minds to accept such a mundane request. Then again, listening to them squabble is like watching Hinata and Kageyama, so they could have been exiled from Seijoh for a day.

Without looking up from the vegetables she’s cutting, Kiyoko sends Daichi and Ennoshita to hang the door on the hinges. They’re dependable and more sympathetic to Nishinoya and Hinata than, say, Tanaka and Tsukishima. Kageyama turns from the stove with a trace of hopefulness, but she keeps him where he is. If he can’t learn how to boil water, he can’t be trusted to learn a water-boiling spell. There’s no way that Suijin-sama would be willing to accept such a request, either.

An hour later, Karasuno has a front door and Kageyama understands how much work cooking can be. Kiyoko decides not to pressure him any further. She expects that he will be much more willing to clean the counters from now on.

Hitoka comes in before dinner to scrub her hands nearly raw. She will also want new gloves.

“I’ll stir the stew,” she mumbles over the sink. Oh no, has Asahi traumatized her more? Maybe he’s transferred some of his nervousness to her-- a legitimate possibility, as far as Kiyoko has read-- and gained some pride in himself. That wouldn’t be too much to handle.

Anyway, it’s time for Kiyoko to do some damage control. “How was it?”

“Well,” Hitoka sighs in the way that Yamaguchi does when Nishinoya sends him as a messenger, “the gutter is clean. I mean, of course it is! Azumane-san worked really hard and tried to make me useful, too. I held the ladder and moved the trash can for him. But then there was a spider--” she indicates with her fingers, “-- about this big that landed on my arm, and, er…”

“Neither of you broke any bones, right? And you didn’t destroy anything?”

“N-no.”

“Then it’s fine.” She smiles. “I didn’t hear any screaming, if there was any. Good job.”

“Aaah, thank you!” (None of the tears land in the stew, which Kiyoko counts as a success.)


	6. Day 73: Peace

“It's a team building exercise,” Sugawara repeats, breath condensing with every word. He grins. “If you don't think about the cold, you won't feel it as much.”

Kiyoko just hugs the bundle of lunches to herself more tightly. She's fine with waking up early, snow, and heights. The three combined, however? She would refuse if she could, but they have to set a good example, be respectful, and so on and so forth. It's too bad Daichi is such a nice guy. She can't stay mad at him.

The only one who looks remotely at ease is Yamaguchi. He's more comfortable with air that stings to breathe and icy rocks of death than normal life. Whatever suits him. As long as Kiyoko doesn't have to watch to make sure Hinata doesn't fall, she doesn't care.

Beside her, a cloak shaped like Yachi shivers, probably regretting her life choices. (She should’ve picked a different deity to call on to cast spells… she should’ve worn more socks… she should’ve done this and that.) Kiyoko offers to switch duties with her. The food is closer to being warm than the flowers, if barely. Lunch is less important than what they're about to do, so she can shoulder the responsibility.

The group stops on an even outcropping covered with a frigid blanket. It looks the same as any other place. It also looks exactly the same as it did last year. Then again, when the clouds keep them company, everything looks just about the same. Kiyoko doubts she can bear to speak above a murmur. She doesn't dare disturb the universe. As it seems, neither does anyone else.

Tanaka takes the basket out of Hitoka's hands to occupy himself. He meets Ukai-san, who's pacing in a circle. Hitoka almost steps on Kiyoko's heels as they join the assembly. The wind bays without moving the snow. Despite the constant motion of their cloaks, the mountain is still. Sugawara holds his breath.

Takeda-san chips at the silence. “Today, we honor the people who lost their lives here. Maybe they were foolish and overworked themselves. Maybe they were unlucky. It's not our place to judge. Some bodies are brought back, but others will remain here forever. Some people will never be wept for. We are the only ones who will remember them, even if we didn't know them personally. It's our duty and our honor to do so.”

Ukai-san lays the first flower in the ring he has created. Takeda-san follows, and the rest of them continue until the snow patch is bleeding color.

The walk back to verdant life is muted, but it's enough time to regain full feeling in the tips of their fingers. It's also enough time for Hinata to almost sprain his ankle twice. Kiyoko is grateful that she still has the food to occupy her hands with, so Hitoka handles the situation.

“Ryuu, I'll race you to the bottom!”

Only the dead can have eternal peace.


	7. Day 89: Responsibilities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will admit that I sort of forgot about this while I was writing "To Become Qualified To Be Human" and the other BSD fics.

“I don't get it.”

“Repeating that won't help, Hinata-kun. Do you want me to explain again?”

Kiyoko and Hinata have been outside since after breakfast. The well sits petulantly between them in the same condition as three hours ago. Its rope remains untied and coiled in the grass. The bucket bobs far below them with a taunting rhythm. She doesn’t get paid enough for this-- that is to say, she doesn’t get paid to do this at all.

What is it with the first years and their unwillingness (and/or inability) to perform simple tasks? At long last, Kageyama knows what “simmering” means; Tsukishima has mastered the art of the poster-boy smile; Yamaguchi opens the curtains in his room when he wakes up; and Hinata… still doesn’t know how to retrieve a bucket.

Most people leave the bucket on the ground when replacing a well's rope. Clumsiness gets in the way of this. All would be well and good if Hinata was able to concentrate for more than twenty seconds on anything other than calling on gods to cast spells. He's too good at that and that only. Hey, Kiyoko doesn't go around calling Okami-sama every time she wants ice in her drink. As talented as they may be, every mage is a mere mortal. It's best not to trouble the gods with petty requests.

Magic isn't even necessary to get things out of a well. She just needs a pole with a hook at the end of it. Unfortunately, Narita took the long stick on his mission today, so this teaching moment is the best option.

“Focus on the end of the rope that you’re going to tie around the bucket.” Kiyoko reconsiders her instructions. Maybe she needs to try harder to reach him. “Imagine that it's your hunting target.”

Everyone knows how natural it is for Hinata to aim at a beast. (The results of his spells vary depending on circumstance. Sometimes, Amaterasu-sama indulges in child's play. Sometimes, Hinata is less than an arm's length from burning himself.) His endless passion is devoted to combat techniques, which would be fine if Kiyoko wanted to be the guild’s maid. However, she has a life and goals of her own, so he needs to strive for independence. She refuses to let Hitoka carry such a burden.

Hinata’s mouth forms a perfect “o” of understanding. He’s rather good at making emphatic faces. His hands fly up.

In his excitement, the rope springs to life and latches onto Kiyoko’s right arm. It coils around her wrist. She sucks in a breathy wince. This isn’t the first scrape she’s experienced, but it still burns.

Hinata cries out, and for once Kiyoko can tolerate it.

* * *

Hitoka frets so much that her hands shake as she wrings the towel out. Her eyes follow Kiyoko as she adjusts the bandages around her forearm. They’re crooked from paying attention to Hinata’s stream of apologies before he ran off to get more herbs. It’s not the end of the world, no matter how the two feel. Nothing stings anymore.

“A-are you sure that you’re okay?”

Kiyoko nods for the dozenth time. “It was an accident. It doesn’t hurt much.”

What kind of manager would she be if she complained? Oikawa may be that petty, but she doesn’t want to traumatize them. Hinata needs to learn how to operate a well without adult supervision. Takeda-san has enough to do without worrying about the water supply. Also, unless a miracle happens, everyone will continue to get in trouble. It’s important for Hitoka to be prepared to play nurse for them.

The antiseptic is in the medicine cabinet in the living room, which is closer to the front and back doors than the kitchen. There’s a roll of bandages somewhere in every shared room, as well as one in Nishinoya’s sock drawer. Ukai-san keeps sleeping pills under the north bathroom sink. All of these items need to be replaced every so often. Kiyoko should make Hitoka a map.

Her wrist still hurts if she presses it. Working will be more difficult, but she should be alright. She can’t afford to take a break.

* * *

The sun feels nicer when it can drape over her and the blanket she’s lying on. Tanaka’s Tsukishima-lengthed gift is finally in use. (She’ll need to check it for grass stains later.) Who knew how much Kiyoko needed to take the afternoon off. The calendar of events doesn't list her breaks. It only records the days that Kageyama is scheduled to clean the bathroom and every morning that Daichi is sleeping in. It also hasn't been updated in several weeks; someone moved the pencil, and it hasn't been found since. She suspects Narita.

Kiyoko exhales. The birds sing from hidden branches. A butterfly dances around the flower that it's enamored with. Everything is bright and warm, smelling of moist soil. She could go for a jog later, or not. There's nothing driving her to choose.

Someone sits cross-legged at her side. “Wow, you're actually resting. How's it feel?”

“Thank you for your concern, Tsukishima-kun.”

He makes a polite dismissive noise. The memory of the spider must still be fresh in his mind. It’s rare for him to be this standoffish, especially to her.

“Are you also taking a break?”

“Well, Akiteru made me promise that I wouldn't work all the time.”

She opens an eye. “He must not know you that well.”

“Babysitting Hinata and Kageyama counts as working. You know how it is.” (Does she ever.) “And…”

“Is something wrong?”

Tsukishima looks at his nails. “Eh. I don't want to ruin your break.”

“If it will ruin the rest of the day after my break, please tell me now.” She sits up; even if he declines, she’s already done resting for the day. There’s too much to worry about. “I was about to go in anyway.”

He stretches, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Tanaka took all the books off the shelf to find something, and he doesn’t know how to put them back.”

Having anticipated this situation, Kiyoko wrote the bookshelf order down last month. It’s in the office with the kingdom maps. Someone present should have known that-- oh, wait, Sugawara is being someone’s armed escort right now. Dukes are so needy.

“I see.” Kiyoko stands. “I’ll go help him. Please put my blanket away.”


End file.
